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I know nothing about the thread used for kitemaking, but I do know that quality varies a great deal from brand to brand. A bargain spool of thread won't be much of a bargain if you have to struggle to use it or if it snaps apart with little effort. Conversely, I swear, some threads are so strong I think they could be used in a tractor pull.

I've always had really good experiences using Mettler brand thread. I know nothing about the company that the link below leads to. I only used it because this page has some good information about different threads in the Mettler line.

Love Mettler, can't get it anymore here except the cotton for quilting which you do not want for kites, cotton can mold & weaken if it gets wet and put away wet. Guttermann's was good back when I ran a fabric store and the sewing kites 101 article was written, but that was 20+ years ago, it's garbage now. Coats and Clark was garbage back then but todays poly wrapped poly is on par with the Mettler IMO. Of course you'll hear you need to use bonded thread, but then why were Blue Moon Kites built using Guttermann's and always voted the best quality kites?

Why would you need a special thread to sew the keel end in place? If you've had problems when sewing through the Dacron then you need to use the right needle, no thread out there will overcome using the wrong needle. If you are sewing through adhesive and having problems with skipped stitches and you have the right needle then use a thread luber, or just spray your spool with that silicon lube you bought to refurb your flying lines. If you don't want to soak a whole spool then wind a bobbin and spray it (they fit on top too for small jobs)

If you're using a standard thread then a 12 or 14 Sharp point needle will do, go for the 14 if sewing through heavy Dacron, I used to use Denim needles since they had a deeper groove and slightly thicker shank but they've changed the ones available locally to a multi-purpose point which isn't the Sharp point we need. If you go with a heavy duty thread or bonded 30 or 33 check with a sewing machine shop that does repairs and adjustments and ask the tech for a size recommendation, the clerk at Joannes will not necessarily be a good source.

« Last Edit: April 17, 2012, 11:55 PM by mikenchico »

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"Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see" John W Lennon

"People do not quit playing because they grow old, they grow old because they quit playing" George Bernard Shaw

indeed, when sewing through thick layers....replace the needle and pick a thicker one in stead of changing threadi use size 60 for normal sewing and 80 when i do a nosejob or so...this are european sizes...don't know if that is the same in US

Our needles now have Euro sizes as well as our old ones for us old timers, so those sizes should help John when he's standing there totally confused by all the numbers. I find the needle wall at our Joanne's quite intimidating especially when I've researched what I want and then no label matches. After the availble denim needles became ball point I went Googling but retail stores don't package with those fancy names, in fact you're lucky if you can find a pack of 12 sharps, you find packs of assorted sizes of multi purpose needles, that's about all we are offered at retailers today.

Gutterman's used to be great and our store wouldn't even stock Coats & Clark. Maybe you still get the Ger.man made stuff over there. I heard our is coming from Mexico now and is no longer continuous filament.

« Last Edit: April 18, 2012, 07:52 AM by mikenchico »

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"Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see" John W Lennon

"People do not quit playing because they grow old, they grow old because they quit playing" George Bernard Shaw

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